Does Santa Exist?
by Jabberjay
Summary: Angel asks Max a bizarre question one day, and Max finds herself unable to tell her the truth.


**Maya: So. It's Christmas... Um, eve.**

**Me: Yup. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! *virtual hugs* **

**Maya: *continues reading Deathly Hallows***

**Me: Maya~ *hugs her***

**Maya: ... *hugs back awkwardly***

**Me: I don't own Maximum Ride, you guys know that, right? Unless JP gives it to me for Christmas…**

**Maya: No chance of **_**that **_**happening.**

**Me: Thanks for destroying my dreams, dear. **

**Maya: All in a day's work. **

**Me: I got this idea from a book that I skimmed through. **_**Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus.**_** I also don't own that. This is happening, I don't know, when The Flock takes a break and they are at Dr Martinez's house. Let's just say Total and Akila are on holiday, okay? Okay.**

**Maya: Though she doesn't like Virginia. She has red hair. She has a thing against redheads.**

**Me: I DON'T! Some of my favourite characters are redheads! Like Rachel Dare.**

**Maya: Right, right… **

**Me: This is getting **_**way **_**too long. Better start with the story.**

**Maya: 3…2…1… Action!**

-:-

**Max POV**

The smell of freshly baked cookies hit me, and I inhaled the smell. Aaaaah. This was heavenly. I grabbed three cookies and stuffed them in my mouth.

"Don't eat everything, Max." My mom warned. "Leave some for them," she gestured towards the rest of The Flock and Ella.

I nodded. "Mmmmph'kay." And crumbs fell out of my mouth. How lady-like of me. I grabbed another one, and beside me, Fang snatched it. "Hey! Gimme that!" I screeched, trying to pry it out of his hands in vain.

Fang rolled his eyes. "You've had enough already. What are you, the cookie monster?"

I glared at him and proceeded to take another of those heavenly cookies.

"Oooooh! Double chocolate chip cookies! My fav!" Nudge squealed as she grabbed one and started eating.

Of course, those greedy people finished the whole tray in five minutes.

"Is there another tray?" Gazzy asked hopefully as he leaned back on his chair, stuffed.

"I hope not. I think I'm gonna puke. I ate too many." This came from Ella, who had eaten six cookies in a minute, that pig.

Iggy burped loudly, and Angel giggled.

"Max," Mom said after looking at the clock. "It's 3.15 now, I've to go back to the clinic. You take charge, okay? Make sure Iggy and Gazzy don't blow up the place."

Iggy shrugged and Gazzy gave a sheepish grin, and I shot them a glare. Which, of course, was lost on Iggy.

Mom nodded, and walked out the door. "Well, what to do now?" Ella asked to no one in particular.

"Let's just watch TV," Fang suggested. Typical. The show on now was _Glee_, and for some reason, he loved the show. Probably because of Quinn. No, I'm not jealous. It's just that— Oh, never mind.

"No! This is a rerun, right? It's still Season one and Blaine hasn't appeared yet. I like Blaine, and it's sad that he isn't here yet." Nudge pouted. "Let's play truth or dare instead!" Oh God, not again.

Ella, Angel, and surprisingly, Iggy and Gazzy, agreed. Of course Fang just kept quiet. Those little traitors.

"No." I said flatly. The last time I'd played, I was dared to do to kiss Fang. Not going to happen again. "Fang! Help me out here." Surely he wouldn't want to go through that humiliation _again_?

He sighed. "No playing Truth or Dare. After what happened last time."

Of course, Angel and Nudge promptly used their Bambi eyes on us. Dammit.

"Okay, okay!" I snapped. They grinned at each other. "Buttttt..." Angel, Ella and Nudge looked at me curiously. "There will be no daring each other to do PG-13 things," A chorus of '_Awwwww_'s. "And. Only the person who spun the bottle or whatever can dare or ask the question. _Without help_. Are we clear?"

"Okay. But no PG-13 stuff? Sad."

"Okie dokie, Max! It's gonna be fun!"

"Sure, Max. But without help? Aww!"

"I totally agree to these conditions."

"Don't worry, Max. We won't ever dare you to kiss Fang again if it's humiliating."

Fang just nodded. Argh. Will it kill him just to say_ something_?

-:-

"Okay, since we don't have Veritaserum, does everyone vow to tell the truth?" Ella asked, after seating down.

Everyone more or less agreed, and Iggy rolled the glass bottle.

Of course, with my bad luck, the bottle landed near me. God, does the world hate me? "Max," Iggy said in a sing-song voice (after Ella told him it landed on me) while Gazzy snickered. I was so going to kill him after this. "Truth, or dare?"

Almost immediately, "Dare."

"I dare you to... eat food from Akila's bowl like a dog."

And so the game started.

-:-

Okay, so what happened in the past 25 minutes?

Well, Fang head's got dunked into the toilet bowl and he was wearing Nudge's pink tank top for a full 5 minutes.

Iggy sang Bad Romance tunelessly, and admitted he liked Ella (we are definitely going to have a talk).

Nudge admitted that her favourite Flock member was Angel.

Gazzy revealed all the hiding places of his bombs (some are really disgusting), and got to eat some of my cooking.

Ella admitted her favourite Sesame Street character was Big Bird (Uhhhh...).

Angel? She just ate another plateful of my cooking.

As for me, I only ate a little dog food. Yay.

"Max?"

Back to reality.

Angel had spun the bottle, and it had landed on me.

"Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Okay, so I chose truth. Not because I was chicken! It was because I knew Angel would do something horrifying to get back at me for my horrible cooking.

"Does Santa Claus exist?"

"_What_?" I asked incredulously. Out of all the questions she could ask, she asked _this_?

Everyone looked confused with her queer question. Even Fang reacted, his eyebrows furrowing a little.

"Uh, why do you ask, sweetie?" I asked, while blocking my mind by thinking all those Harry Potter spells. _Accio, Expelliarmus, Stupefy, Alomohora, Wingardium Leviosa, Crucio, Avada Kedavra, Imperio, Immobulus, Confundo, Silencio, Sonorous..._

"Well, remember that time when we were in school in Virginia? I asked Kayla what she wanted from Santa when Christmas came." Angel frowned. "And she said that Santa Claus didn't exist. Is that true, Max?"

Wait. She still believes in Santa Claus? Crap. Should I tell her the ugly truth? She's only six years old. Okay, a mind-controlling creepy six year child, but still.

I glanced at Fang, my right wing man, and he merely shrugged. Darn it.

I looked back at Angel, her hopeful blue eyes looking at me.

"I don't really know either," I replied while trying to block my mind. "Why don't you ask someone else or something?" I plastered a fake smile on my face. Hopefully one that looked real.

Angel pouted. "Hmph. Okay then. Since you don't know, I'll ask you another question. What would you do if you saw Iggy and Gaz kissing?"

Oh, come _on_. Now _this_?

-:-

_The next day..._

**Angel's POV**

Angel twirled the pen in her hands and stared at the blank paper on her table. She was planning to write to _The Times _to ask if Santa Claus existed.

After all, they had said that they_ 'told the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth'_, so they'd answer her, right?

She racked her brains and tried her best to block everyone's thoughts. Angel bit her lip as she started writing slowly:

_Dear publishers of The Times,_

_I'm writing to you to ask if Santa Claus exists. My friend, Kayla, says that he doesn't._

_Since you promise to tell nothing but the truth, I hope you will answer me truthfully._

_Angela Ride_

She put her pen down, satisfied with what she wrote. Now to seal it, then send it. Angel took the brown envelope and quickly jotted down the address stated in the newspaper. Folding the paper carefully, she put it in the envelope and sealed it.

Angel grinned. Now to give it to Dr. Martinez to post it. Then, after a few days, she would finally get the truth.

-:-

_A few days later... (Christmas Eve)_

**Max POV**

"Max? Pass me the last ribbon," Mom said as she held her hand out. I absentmindedly passed it to her as I made sure that Iggy and Gazzy wouldn't hit the TV while playing Wii sports. How does a blind guy play Wii, you ask. Well, they're playing the boxing game now, so Iggy just punches all over the place and ducks to the left/right when Ella tells him to. Which reminds me. I still haven't given him the talk.

"There. Isn't it just_ beautiful_?" Mom sighed as she stepped back to admire her work on the Christmas tree.

I nodded, and asked, "So we're gonna celebrate Christmas today, right? Are you inviting anyone?"

"No, it's just going to be us," she replied, and I heaved a sigh of relief. For a second, I thought Mom had invited Jeb. "Oh, and Max? I'm expecting you to be in a dress when you come out of that room. It's Christmas. You should dress up." She pointed at Nudge's room, in which Nudge and Angel would forcefully drag everyone in for a makeover for Christmas. Their current victim was Fang.

I didn't answer her. No way was I going to be in a dress.

-:-

**Angel POV**

After Nudge and I had successfully wrestled Max into a dress, forced her to put a little bit of makeup, we were done with everyone's Christmas makeovers.

"Great work, Ange!" Nudge grinned as she patted my head. "I can't believe it's Christmas! I can't wait for the log cakes, the roasted chicken… then, of course, the gift unwrapping! I wonder what everyone got for me. What're you looking forward to, huh?"

"Something on the newspaper," I replied instantly. _That says that Santa Claus exists, _I thought.

Nudge made a face, "The _newspaper_? Okay…"

-:-

**Max POV**

I shall not kill Nudge and Angel. I shall not kill Nudge and Angel. I shall not kill Nudge and Angel. I–

"Nice dress," Fang interrupted my thoughts, smirking.

I shot him a glare. "Go away, before I kill you."

"Are you sure you can do that? You love me, don't you," He held out his arms. "You love me thiiiiiiiiis much."

"How many times have I told you? I. Do. Not." I clenched my fists. "Now shut up, before I sic Nudge and Angel on you with their makeup."

_You know you like him, Max. _

_Angel, STAY OUT OF MY HEAD!_

"Nice suit, Fang," My mom said as she hurried into the kitchen with a bottle of some kind.

"Yeah, nice suit, Fang," I said snidely, and being the mature 14 year old bird kid I was, I stuck my tongue out at him.

He rolled his eyes, then went over to Gazzy, who was playing with his DS by himself.

I walked to the kitchen, where Ella, Iggy and Dr Martinez were cooking/baking.

"Can I help?"

"No!" Iggy responded immediately. "Get outta here before you mess up my beautiful cooking!"

"I'm not that bad!" I retaliated indignantly.

"Max, you're the only person I know that can burn water."

Stomping out of the kitchen, I muttered, "That was only one time."

Outside, Fang was now the one using the DS, maniacally pressing the buttons, and Gazzy was shouting stuff like "Faster. Faster! _FASTER!" _

Which meant there wasn't anything to do here.

-:-

**Angel POV**

"Oh. My. Shit," I muttered as I went out the room, clutching the newspaper in my hand.

"Angel! Don't you dare say that word."

"But Max, you've dropped the f-bomb in your head many times!"

"That…that…doesn't make it right! And you aren't supposed to read our thoughts!"

I shrugged nonchalantly. Why couldn't Max admit she was wrong for just one time? Anyway, _The Times _actually replied to me. They actually replied to me! Just seeing the words _'Yes, he does exists'_ makes me want to jump for joy.

-:-

**Max POV**

Note to self: Never say that word in your head again.

"The food is ready!" Ella shouted from the kitchen as she brought a log cake out.

"This too," Iggy said as he carefully stepped out of the kitchen with an enormous roasted chicken on an equally enormous plate.

"And the fudge," Mom came out holding a huge tray.

They set the food down on the table, and us practically salivating people/birdkids dashed to the table and gorged ourselves with the food.

-:-

Mmmmm. That was so satisfying. I looked at everyone. Fang had chicken sauce on his hands. Iggy had bits of cake on his mouth. Nudge had chocolate smeared on her hands, and it blended in with her skin. Gazzy— Oh, God. Gazzy's whole mouth and hands were covered with fudge/log cake. His sister had chicken sauce on her mouth. Ella and mom looked fairly clean.

Huh. Looks like our table manners hasn't improved one bit.

"Okay, everyone. Clean up, and we'll sing Christmas carols or something," Mom said as she stood up and started stacking the plates.

-:-

Before Fang could take his guitar out (yes, he has one, and he taught himself to play), Angel piped up, "Wait! I've something to tell you guys."

Everyone's head snapped up to look at her, even Iggy, who looked at her direction. Fang nodded, wanting her to continue.

"Remember that time we played Truth or Dare, and I asked Max if Santa Claus existed?" She looked at Mom, "well, Dr Martinez, that's what I asked when Max said 'Truth'," she looked back at us again, and picked up the newspaper. "I sent in the question to them and they actually replied!" She grinned toothily.

"What did they say?"

She took a moment to turn to the page on the newspaper, then looked up at us, "Here's what I wrote: '_Dear publishers of The Times,_

_I'm writing to you to ask if Santa Claus exists. My friend, Kayla, says that he doesn't._

_Since you promise to tell nothing but the truth, I hope you will answer me truthfully._

_Angela Ride_._'_" She stopped for a moment to get a drink of water, then continued, "And they actually replied to me!

_'Dear Angela, your friend Kayla is wrong. She thinks that nothing is real unless she can see it with her own two eyes. _

_Yes, Angela, there _is _a Santa Claus. As much as love and care exists, and you know these are the things that make you happy. How sad the world will be if Santa Claus didn't exist! It would be as sad if there were no _Angela_s. There will be no more things to enjoy in this world, then. _

_Not to believe in Santa Claus! It's like not believing in faeries! If you want, you can get your mother or father to stay up all night on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus coming. Even if they don't see him, it does not mean he doesn't exists._

_Nobody can see the most real things in the world. Have you ever seen faeries in the garden? Of course you haven't, but that's no proof they don't exist. Nobody can ever imagine _all _the wonders that are unseeable in this world._

_There is a veil covering the unseen world, and not even the strongest man can tear it apart. Only faith, love and romance can push the veil aside and see the beauty in it._

No Santa Claus_? He lives, and he will forever. Many years from now, he will still be making children happy.'_"

Angel put down the newspaper and looked up at us. "See? Santa Claus _does _exist!"

"So that's what you meant by saying you were looking forward to something on the newspaper, right?" Nudge said, "And it's cool that they actually replied to you!"

I shot Angel a grin. Underneath that powerful genetically modified girl, she was still an innocent six year old kid, and I didn't mind keeping it that way, even if it meant lying a little bit.

-:-

**Me: DONE!**

**Maya: We're gonna eat turkey later! It looks so nice...**

**Me: Don't you dare eat 95% of it. **

**Maya: Nah, that's your brother's job. **

**Me: Oh, and they're showing You're Beautiful here again! **

**Maya: Unfortunately, they censored some hilarious stuff and such. Jerks.**

**Me: Yeah, and my mom says that Tae Kyung looks like a vampire. **

**Maya: I love Jeremy.**

**Me: **_**Oh. **_**I forgot to add a few extra disclaimers.**

**Maya: You don't own Harry Potter and Sesame Street, yes?**

**Me: Yup! And also, REVIEW!**

**Maya: REVIEW!**

**Me: REVIEW FOR THE TURKEY!**

**Maya: REVIEW FOR THE LOG CAKE!**

**Both: REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW **

**VV**

**V**


End file.
